CLIENT PAYMENT TERMS, CONDITIONS, CONSENT AND UNDER THE CARE AGREEMENT
These terms form part of the Client Information Form. By signing this form, the owner/person responsible for the animal agrees to the terms below.
1. Definitions. “Bay Veterinary Limited”, “Bay Vets”, “Vets4Petz”, “we”, “our” or “the practice” means Bay Veterinary Limited trading as Bay Vets and incorporating Vets4Petz. “Owner”, “client” or “you” means the owner, agent, authorised person, or person responsible for the animal and for payment of the account. “Services” means veterinary services, products, advice, medicines, procedures, diagnostics, hospital care, and other animal health services provided or arranged by the practice.
2. Under the care of a veterinarian. By signing this form, you request Bay Veterinary Limited to provide veterinary services to the animal(s) listed on this Client Information Form or on the Client profile where Bay Veterinary Limited accepts this request, you agree that the listed animal(s) are under the care of a Bay Veterinary Limited veterinarian, and Bay Veterinary Limited accepts responsibility for their ongoing health and welfare, within the scope of the services we provide and subject to clinical judgement, available information, legal requirements, and these terms.
3. Description of services. Bay Veterinary Limited may provide veterinary services including, where appropriate: general veterinary consultations, clinical assessments, examinations, diagnosis, treatment and advice; companion animal health care including vaccinations, parasite control, desexing, surgery, dentistry, diagnostics, hospital care, preventative health, palliative care and euthanasia; prescribing, dispensing or authorising veterinary medicines where legally permitted and clinically appropriate; emergency or after-hours care arrangements; referral to another veterinary provider or specialist where required; and follow-up advice, discharge instructions, medicine instructions and clinical record keeping.
4. Emergency and after-hours care. Bay Veterinary Limited provides emergency and after-hours care for animals accepted into our care. In some circumstances, we may refer, transfer, direct, or arrange emergency or after-hours care through Bay After Hours Veterinary Hospital or another appropriate veterinary provider. You agree to follow the emergency contact instructions provided by the practice and to seek urgent veterinary care without delay if your animal requires emergency attention.
5. In-person clinical assessment. In order to treat your pet, prescribe or authorise medicines, or provide veterinary advice, Bay Veterinary Limited will usually require an in-person clinical assessment and, where appropriate, a physical examination at the time of consultation. If an in-person assessment is not undertaken, the animal must have been seen recently enough for the veterinarian to have sufficient current information, and at least within the last 6 months. Exceptions may apply in emergencies or natural disasters where an in-person assessment is not possible. The veterinarian may record the reason for any exception in the clinical notes.
6. Restricted Veterinary Medicines. Any prescribing, dispensing or authorisation of Restricted Veterinary Medicines is at the discretion of the attending veterinarian and will only occur where legally permitted and clinically appropriate. You agree to follow all dose, frequency, storage, disposal, withholding period, and record-keeping instructions. Bay Veterinary Limited may decline or withdraw medicine authorisation if we do not have sufficient current information, if the animal has not been assessed recently enough, or if there are concerns about safe or appropriate use.
7. Client information and changes. You agree to provide accurate and current information about your animal, including health history, current medicines, allergies, previous adverse reactions, behaviour concerns, insurance details, and any other veterinary involvement. You must notify Bay Veterinary Limited of any material change that may affect the animal’s care, including ownership or contact details, animal health status, medications, another veterinary practice becoming involved, or any change that may affect emergency care or medicine authorisation.
8. Annual review and review on material change. This agreement and the services provided under it will be reviewed at least annually, or earlier if there is a material change affecting the animal, owner, contact details, services required, medicine use, animal health status, emergency arrangements, or other veterinary involvement. Bay Veterinary Limited may request updated information, a new examination, or a new agreement before continuing care or authorising further treatment or medicines.
9. Expiry of care responsibility. If an animal listed on this Client Information Form or on your profile has not been seen by Bay Veterinary Limited for 4 years, Bay Veterinary Limited’s care responsibility for that animal will terminate, unless a new agreement is made and accepted by the practice. After expiry, the animal will need to be reassessed and accepted back into care before Bay Veterinary Limited can provide ongoing veterinary care, routine treatment, or medicine authorisation.
10. Payment. Payment is required at the time services, products, procedures, medicines, or advice are provided, unless prior arrangements have been approved by Bay Veterinary Limited. We may require a deposit, part-payment, payment before discharge, or payment before booking further appointments. If payment is difficult please talk to Bay Veterinary Limited about our payment options which include eftpos, cash, credit card, Afterpay,or Vetcare Finance. If payment terms are stated on an invoice, those terms apply.
11. Overdue accounts and collection costs. Interest may be charged on overdue accounts at 2.5% per calendar month, compounding monthly. If payment is dishonoured or an account is overdue, you are liable for dishonour fees, administration fees, and reasonable debt collection and legal costs incurred by Bay Veterinary Limited. We may suspend non-urgent services where an account is overdue, except where doing so would compromise animal welfare or emergency care obligations.
12. Missed appointments. Bay Veterinary Limited may charge a missed appointment fee, require a deposit, or require prepayment for future appointments if appointments are missed or cancelled late. We will apply this fairly and take genuine reasons into account.
13. Abandoned animals. If an animal is not collected at the agreed time, Bay Veterinary Limited will make reasonable efforts to contact the owner/person responsible using the contact details provided. The owner remains responsible for all costs incurred while the animal remains at the clinic. If the animal is not claimed within 5 days, the animal may be considered abandoned and may be referred to the appropriate authority, such as SPCA or Council Animal Control, as applicable.
14. Privacy and records. You authorise Bay Veterinary Limited to collect, hold, use and disclose personal information and animal health information for the purposes of providing veterinary services, communicating with you, maintaining clinical and financial records, assessing credit, recovering debts, making referrals, complying with legal and professional obligations, and providing information about our services. You may request access to, or correction of, personal information held by us.
15. Consent to treatment and risk. You give permission for Bay Veterinary Limited veterinarians and staff to provide treatment, procedures, diagnostics, medicines, nursing care, pain relief, sedation, anaesthesia, surgery, hospital care, and other services considered necessary or appropriate for your animal, within the scope of the treatment discussed with you. You acknowledge that all anaesthetic, surgical, medical and handling procedures carry some risk.
16. Disputes. If you have a concern or dispute about our services, treatment, fees, communication, or this agreement, you agree to raise this with Bay Veterinary Limited as soon as practical so we can review the matter and attempt to resolve it fairly. We may ask that concerns are put in writing. Both parties agree to act respectfully and in good faith while a concern or dispute is being reviewed.
17. Termination of agreement. You may end this agreement by advising Bay Veterinary Limited that you no longer wish us to provide care for your animal. Bay Veterinary Limited may terminate or limit this agreement where there is a breakdown in the professional relationship, failure to pay accounts, abusive or unsafe behaviour, repeated failure to follow veterinary advice, lack of sufficient current information, involvement of another veterinary provider without disclosure, or where it is no longer clinically appropriate, safe, lawful, or practical for us to continue providing care. Where reasonably possible, we will provide notice and advise you to arrange alternative veterinary care. Emergency animal welfare obligations will still be considered.
